Resilient tire.



I W. H. BOWLING.

RBSILIENT TIRE. APILIOAIION FILED MAY 19,1908.

II N Wil'vwbii'eb K," i

. x 14 an/W MW,

STATESPATENT OFFICE.

7 WILLIAM H. BOWLING, OF SALINAS, CALIFORNIA.

RESILIENT TIRE.-

assess.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. RbWL ING,

a citizen of the United" States, residing at.

Salinas, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rei sili'ent Tires, of which the following is a specification. v

This invention contemplates certain new and useful improvements in, vehicle wheels,

and the object of the'invention is an improved tire that may be readily applied to either an old or new wheel of the ordinary type, and that has a maximum resiliency and is thus adapted to serve as, or supplement the work of. a shock absorber, and that is not subject to puncture which is one of the primary disadvantages of resilient tires of the pneumatic type.

With this andother objects in View that will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions and arrangements of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe, and

. then point out the novel features thereof, in

the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof, and to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a transverse section of my iin proved tire, showing it applied; Figs. 2, 3,

4 5 and 6 are detail views in ers ective. of

the various parts of the tire; and, Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section partly broken away.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followin description and indicated in all the views 0 the drawing, by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral f designates a vehicle wheel of the ordinary construction, the fell, 2 of which is-encircled by a retaining ring 3 that projects lat-.

' erally beyond the sides of the felly and has the inner surface of its rejecting portions preferably flared outwar lyi, as shown. This retaining ring is formed in each of its side edges with an annular groove "4, and in its periphery with an annular recess 5, the walls of the latter being under-cut, as indicated at (3. A series oftransverse springs 7 are secured to the retaming' -rmg, with the r 111 HQIPOI'UODS against each other, and extend radially therefrom, with their outer portions slightly s aced, so as to permit the free action of t e respective springs and prevent Specification-of Lettersjratent, I Patented. Nov. 9, 1909. Application filed May 19, 1908. Serial No. 433,758. I i

any frictional contact during the vibration thereof." Each of these springs is of integral structure and comprises two lobes 8 which are connected at their outer ends by a cross bar 9, and the other ends of which are thickened, as shown, to form heads 10 that are received in 'the recess 5 in the retaining ring, and have their opposite edges 11 beveled and arranged for engagement with the under-cut walls 6 of the recess, the opposing edges 12 of said heads being transversely spacedand beveled, as shown.

In order to secure the springs 7 to the retaining ring, a locking ring 13 encircles the latter and is arranged to be received in the recess 5"thereof, said locking ring being in the form of a split band, and being wedgeshaped in cross section, so as to bear against the opposing edges 12 of the heads 10, and spread the latter apart to efiectu'ally hold the opposite edges 11 thereof in engagement with the under-cut walls 6. This locking ring is formed with a'circumferential series of openings 14, and a plurality of bolts 15 pass through the'respective openings and through the retaining ring 3 and the felly 2, I

so as to secure the locking ring iii-position and permit it to be conveniently drawn inwardly to e'fiect the locking of the heads of the springs in the recess 5, the openings 14 being sufficiently elongated to permit the play of the boltsa-s the locking ring is drawn or substance, such as rubber, fits around and incases the sprm s 7, and 18 provided at its inner surface witi a facing 19 of leather or the like, which constitutes a wearing surface to rotect the tread from abrasive contact wit the springs. This facin rests upon, and is supported by the cross bars 9 of the springs, and the tread is so shaned that the facingbis spaced fromthe outer portions of the 10 springs of tension at these points, so that t 53 can. yield freely to permit the vibra tion of the cross bars which obviously sup-- es, as shown, whereby to relieve the port all the weight. The ends of the tread i portion are clenched in position by two rim sections 20 which extend along the opposite sides of the telly, and the outer portions of which are oppositely and. laterally offset, and are formed with beads 21 that are arranged to bear againsttheends of the tread to force the latter in the grooves 4 in the. respective edges of the retaining ring, said rim sections also holding the extremities of the tread against the inner surface of the projecting ortions of the retaining ring, and thus e ecting a tight joint, and rendering the tire dust and moisture proof. The rim sections 20 are held in position by a plurality of bolts 22 that pass therethrough and through the felly 2 of the wheel, and are arranged to draw said rim sections together to effect the fastening of the tread, bushing rings .23 being preferably interposed between the rim sections and the correspondin sides of the telly and being of any suitab e material that will compress under tension, and

.thus render the device applicable to wheels having fellies of difierent widths. From the above description, in connection -with the accompanying drawing, it will be apparent that Ihave provided a simple, durable and efiicient construction of tire which has a maximum resiliency, and will thus objectionable.

By reference to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the side edges ot' the tread 18 are formed with beads 18 which lit in grooves 20 in the rim sections 20. The inner face of the retaining ring 3, where it abuts against the tread portionto clench it, is made slanting, as indicated at 3*. By this means, aperfeetly tight joint is effected.

Having thus described the inventiomwhat l claim is: i

1. The et'nnljiinntion with a vehicle wheel and the felt thereof. of a tire comprising a retaining. ring encircling the felly and formed in its periphery with an annularrecess having under-cut walls, a series of transverse springs formed at their ends with heads fitting in the recess and arranged for engagement with the under-cut walls thereof, a locking ring encircling the retaining ring and interposed between the heads of the springs, said locking ring being in the form of a split hand and being formed with .a

l circumferential series of openings, bolts passing through the respective openings and the retaining ring and the telly, and arranged to draw said locking ring inwardly, whereby to hold the heads in engagement with'the under-cut walls of the recess, and a tread incasing the springs.

2. The combination with a vehicle wheeland the telly thereof, of a tire comprising a retaining ring encircling the folly and formed in its periphery with an annular recess having under-cut walls, a series of transverse springs formed attheir ends with heads fitting in the recess and arranged for engagement with the under ent walls thereof, a locking ring encircling the retaining so ring and interposed between the heads of thesprings, said locking ring being in the form of a splitband andbeing formed with a circumferential series of openings, bolls passing through the-respective openings and Y the retaining ring and the telly, and arranged to draw said locking ring inwardly, whereby to hold the heads in engagement ,with the under-cut walls of the recess, said openings being elongated to, permit the play 0 of the bolts upon the inward movement of the locking ring, and a tread incasing the springs. i

3. The colnbination with a vehicle wheel and the telly thereof, of a tire comprising a.

retaining ring encircling the folly, a series of transverse springs formed at their ends with transversely spaced heads arranged for engagement with the retaining ring, a. look- .ing ring encirclin holding the, heads in en agement therewith, said locking ring being ormed in its periphery with an annular groove, a resilient bumper encircling the locking ring and received in the groove, and a tread incasing the springs.

4. The combination with a. vehicle wheel and the telly thereof, of a tire comprising a retaining ring encircling the telly, a series of transverse s rings formed at their ends with transverse y spaced heads arranged for engagement with t. e retaining ring, a looking ring encircling the retaining ring and interposed between the spaced heads of the springs, to hold the same in such engagement, said locking ring being formed in its periphery with an annular groove having under-cutwalls, and-a resilient bumper en circling the lockin ring and engaged with the undercut wal s of the groove, as and for the purpose s ecified;

In testimony w ereof I'aiiix my'signature in presence 0t two witnesses.

WILLTA M. H. BOWLING.

Witnesses l). R. 'Mvlimmm. Jr (hm, A. lhnrtmo.

the retaining ring and 100 

